The Stable Boy's Princess
by klingonwannabe
Summary: After Daniel's death Regina discovers that she is pregnant, but soon after giving birth the child is taken from her. Regina finds out that her child is very much alive and in this world. Regina, Henry, and Emma go looking for it. On the way Regina discovers her love for Emma. Chaos ensues when the child finds its way to Storybrooke. SwanQueen eventually. Will change to Mature later
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note: I do not own any of these characters. They belong to the writers and creators of Once Upon A Time and ABC**

Chapter 1: Regina's Hope

Regina stared at her swollen belly in the mirror. She gentle glided her fingers across it; her face emotionless. It had been close to nine months since Daniel had his heart ripped out and crushed by her mother. It was all that little brat Snow White's fault. She had promised Regina that she wouldn't tell her mother but the child couldn't keep her mouth shut. Yet some where deep inside Regina knew it wasn't really Snow's fault but when you are struggling with wanting to love your mother, despite the fact she is the one that did the evil deed, and having suffered such a great lost it was just easier for her to just blame the little girl. But she didn't want to think about that she had felt herself growing numb over the past few months and once she realized she was pregnant with Daniel's child she withdrew within herself. As the days of her child's birth grew closer though she felt a warmth return slowly to her. She heard a key turn and the door to her room opened. Cora walked in; as always she stood up straight and tall, walking with a sense of arrogance that demanded the attention of everyone in the room. Regina turned her head from her mother staring back into the mirror. She heard the door close and lock. After finding out she was with child Cora locked her away in her room telling the king that the wedding would have to wait because Regina was "under the weather." No baby was going to get in the way of her daughter being queen.

"Go away mother." Regina said coldly. She was one of the last people she wanted to see.

"Now Regina don't be so angry with me. I am doing what is best for you."

"No you're not. If you really wanted to do what was best for me you would call of the wedding and let me leave this place." Cora stood behind her daughter and looked at her face on the mirror.

"Love is weakness Regina and what you have growing inside you isn't going to get you no where. Who is going to marry a single mother? How are you going to support yourself and this child? What is best is to give the child up and become queen." Regina's brow furrowed and she whipped around to face her mother.

"What if I want to keep this child mother?! After all it is mine and is the only thing I have left of Daniel!" Her mother just rolled her eyes and gave Regina a stern look.

"You have no idea what is best for you Regina. Only I know what is best and what is best is to get rid of that thing and become queen!"

"That _thing_, mother, is your grandchild! How can you be so cold?" Regina looked deep into her mother's eyes looking for any sign of emotion, but there was nothing. There was always nothing. Cora turned away from her daughter and headed towards the door.

"I will send one of the servants up with food later. You need to eat and stay strong, child labor is hard enough without being weak with hunger."

"I don't want anything to eat I want to leave!" Cora turned the key and left the room without another word. Regina fell to her knees as the tears she had been holding back for months came pouring out of her. She heard the door lock and she screamed with frustration, hatred, and enough pain to swallow the world. She was so tired of this life she wanted out; perhaps suicide was her only way. As Regina sat crying on her knees, contemplating her death, she felt a slight kick and then another. Regina stood still for a moment. She wasn't sure what she had felt. The baby had never moved before this moment. Maybe she was wrong maybe it was nothing then she felt it again. She gasped, it was the baby. Regina touched her stomach this time not as gentle as if searching for the touch of her child. There it was a kick, stronger than the last one. She smiled, for the first time since the death of Daniel she smiled genuinely. This was a sign, death wasn't the only option.

***  
Cora stood outside of her daughter's door listening intently. She had heard her daughter's scream of anguish. She was satisfied with this thinking that if her daughter would just give into her anger and give up hope she would be more willing to do her bidding. She was about to walk away when the screaming and crying had stopped suddenly. Cora pressed her ear to the door. Was that a giggle she just heard? She had no clue what had happened but she didn't care. If Regina was beginning to have hope again then it was time to call for help from an old friend.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: A Peace Offering

Regina awoke from another night of tossing and turning as the nightmares of watching her mother die in her arms. It had been nearly two weeks since she put her mother's heart back into her chest and for just a moment saw that her mother truly did love her before watching death's horrid claws rip her away. She had originally focused her hate and revenge on non-other than Snow, for it was Snow that had handed her the heart that she had cased magic on to save Rumpel. But after seeing that Snow was suffering all on her own she decided that there were others involved that deserved to be punished. With her heart feeling heavy with the weight of the years of pain and sadness, Regina lifted herself from her cotton sheets and warm bed to face another day in Storybrooke.

After doing her morning ritual; shower, eat, brush teeth, get dressed, Regina walked out to her car and headed towards town. As she drove she felt nothing and thought nothing; it was as if she was in autopilot. She knew what she was doing and what she wanted to do but yet it didn't take away the emptiness she felt; a feeling that had only been filled by Henry and now he was with Mrs. Swan she barely saw him. Regina parked across the street from Gold's store and watched him as he went about his business for the day. He seemed like he had completely healed after his dealing with Hook, thanks to the spell on her mother's heart. He was going to pay; everyone involved were going to pay. She was going to go through with her mother's plan, find the dagger, stab Rumple, become the Dark One, and get Henry back as she watched this filthy town burn with everyone in it.

Around 12:30 in the afternoon Gold left his shop, heading towards Granny's for a lunch. As soon as he was out of sight she got out of her car and headed to his store. She jiggled the handle, it was luck but no matter. She waved her hand and the door unlocked and opened. Regina quickly walked in and shut the door behind her. She pulled down the blind, she didn't need the nosy towns people looking into the shop to see what she was up to. Regina looked around, everything in Gold's shop had belonged to someone in the Fair Tail World. She was surprised that more people hadn't came demanding for their belongs but perhaps when magic came to Storybrooke they thought it best not to go up against the Dark One.  
She had to find the dagger, but he wouldn't hide it just anywhere. She went to the back first, she knew very well that Gold had safe hidden in here somewhere. She found it rather easily, for some reason Rumpelstiltskin had a taste for the cliche in this world, it was hidden behind a painting. In a second flat she had magically opened it and found it empty of the weapon she was looking for. There was nothing but a few papers and what appeared to be an empty vial . She slammed the door shut, she knew it had to be in this shop. He would want to keep it somewhere close by, where he could keep an eye on it everyday but also where other's wouldn't think he would keep it; it must be somewhere out front hidden among all the other fairy tale objects. She strutted to the next room, her thought fixated on her purpose. She began tearing the place apart, she started pulling objects of the walls, breaking glass to reach ever single object possible. As ever minute passed without finding the dagger the more frustrated Regina got. Her face grew red with rage and soon hot tears escaped her eyes, they burned the sides of her face. These tears were made of pure rage and sadness; though we have all felt these emotions many of us have never felt them in their purest form and therefore could never understand how Regina felt or the power they hold.

"You know." Regina whipped around, her eyes wild and still flowing with tears. "I could have you arrested for this Madam Mayor. Breaking an entry and destruction of property are hefty crimes in this land. I'm sure Mrs. Swan would love to be informed of your crimes so she could put you behind bars. Perhaps," Rumpel raised his cane and pointed it at the door, "I should go get her." His face was emotionless as he waited for a response. Regina kept quiet, tears ran down her face, and her top lip quivered in a silent rage; Rumpel lowered his cane. "But perhaps since you just had a devastating lost I'll let it slide, this time. Besides," He raised his hand and waved up over one side to his head to the other; as he did this magic filled the air and quickly replaced every broken and distorted item in the shop that Regina had just torn apart, "it's an easy clean up."

"You will pay for what you have done!"

"I didn't do anything, Snow did."

"Yes, but it was you that put the idea in her head and it was you that gave her what she needed. You are nothing more than a manipulative coward." Gold gave Regina a threatening look; he was not fond of being called that. If he didn't need her she would of had her throat crushed after uttering such a word towards him.

"Well, if you are quite finished here, I have work that needs to be done." He limped past her, showing her that the conversation is over.

"I will find it Gold and when I do I swear to you your life will end and I will have all your powers."

"And I swear to you Regina, you'll never find it." Regina gave him one last glare before storming out the door. Rumple made sure she was gone before going to the back and grabbing an empty vial and eye dropper from his desk. He had seen Regina crying and had never felt such pure emotion seeping out of someone. She was dangerous, very dangerous. He went back to the front of the store and started looking very closely to the glass were Regina had been leaning over when he came in. He stopped, three small tears laid perfectly on the glass. Using the eye dropper, he sucked in the three little droplets and put them in the vial. Vial shock in his fingers then stopped and turned into black smoke. With vial in his hand he picked up the store phoned to make a call. "It's me. Shut up and no you're not going to hang up, you still owe me a favor." Rumpel held up the vial, which now appeared to have a tiny storm forming inside it. "And I always hold everyone to their favors."

***  
Regina slammed shut her car door, she was furious. No way that little cockroach was getting away with what he did this time. But if it wasn't in the shop where could it be? Perhaps in his home? No, maybe the woods? Or it was in the shop all along, she didn't exactly look everywhere. Or mayb-  
"Regina?" Regina jumped in her seat. She was in such deep thought she had not seen anyone walk up to her window. It was Dr. Hopper his face was full of concern and yet he forced a smile at her.

"What is it Dr. Hopper?" His smile faded with Regina's bark, he always tried being nice to her, he understood why she was the way she was even though no one else could see it.

"I-I just wanted to see how you were doing since... You know my door is always open Regina. I'm here if you need to talk to someone. We can go back to our sessions, try to work through somethings." Regina started her engine and put it into gear.

"I am done talking Dr. Hopper." And with that she was gone leaving a very concerned cricket behind.

Later that night Regina sat at her kitchen table relaxing her tired feet. She had searched everywhere for where the dagger might be but everywhere she looked she only found frustration and disappointment. Regina picked up the glass that was filled with her favorite red wine. It was the only thing she could taste any more. She had tried eating but food had lost its flavor, everything seemed bland any more. Life seemed dull and she was so tired. A tired that sank into her bones and soul; a tired that no amount of sleep could ever satisfy. Maybe it was just time to-  
A knock on the door stopped her thought. "Who on earth is knocking on my door at ten o'clock at night? Who would be visiting me at all, really." She said to herself in a cold tone but she felt the sting of her own words. No one came by for a visit, not even her son. Regina opened the door, ready to tell whomever was behind it to go away she was in no mood for visitors. She opened her mouth then closed it surprised to see Rumpelstiltskin.

"Mr. Gold what are you doing here? Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"I do know what time it is. I would have been here sooner but I had a rather hardheaded man to deal with." Rumpel stepped sideways to show a very disheveled Jefferson.

"Jefferson?" She was surprised to see either of these men at her front steps but to see both of them together was a true surprise.

"Can we come in?" Regina didn't move, she didn't know what was going on but she didn't like it. "Please." Said Rumpel through a fake smile. Regina smiled at this.

"The curse is broken your pleases don't work anymore."

"I realize that I was trying to be polite, you should work on that sometime." He pushed passed Regina dragging Jefferson in by the arm. They walked into the kitchen and Gold pushed Jefferson into a seat.

"I wont help you Rumpelstiltskin or the bitch queen." His words slurred slightly he seemed he had been drinking. Rumpel turned to Regina.

"It took some, extra help to get him to come here."

"What?"

"The coward drugged me!" There was a loud smack. Rumpel had backhanded Jefferson in the mouth.

"I really hate that word." Regina was fed up with this.

"What are you doing here? And why did you bring a drugged man into my house?"

"Before I tell you anything Regina, I need a promise that you will stop looking for the dagger and stop coming after me if I give you this piece of information."

"Tell me first and I'll consider it."

"It doesn't work that way. All I'll tell you is that the information he has can reunite you with someone you love, and only I can get out of him."

"Because he's drugged."

"Because he owes me a favor."

"I don't owe you anything Rumpelstiltskin. Because of you I lost the woman I love." Rumpelstiltskin turned back to Jefferson.

"That is not my fault. I merely told you where to find what you needed. You were the one that took your pregnant wife into Wonderland. You know the rules two in, two out." Jefferson hung his head. He knew Gold was right, he knew the risk but he didn't have a choice. How was he suppose to know that his wife would give birth that very day? He had no choice, everyone who owes Rumpelstiltskin a favor is eventually held to it, or face terrible consequences. He had just gotten his daughter back, he couldn't afford to fight the Dark One and lose everything again. Rumpel saw that his words hit home and Jefferson was ready to corporate, now he just needed Regina to make this deal. "So do we have a deal." He held out his right hand to Regina. Regina stared at it as she thought everything through. What did he mean "reunite you with someone you love"? Everyone she loved was dead and no magic could bring them back, at least not back the same. That only left Henry, Rumpelstiltskin had the information she needed to get back her son. She reached out and took his hand. "Ok then. Jefferson tell our Queen what she needs to know." Jefferson looked into Regina's eyes, though his were slightly out of focus.

"Your daughter, she's alive."


	3. Chapter 3

*Authors note: I aplogize for not updating I have been busy with the end of the semester! enjoy I'll update when I can!*

Chapter 3

Cora walked into her room and locked the door behind her. She had told her servants to keep her husband away for as long as they could, she wanted to be left alone. It had been what felt like a lifetime since she had called upon the Dark One, but she had no choice if her daughter were to keep this child then all her plans would be lost. Regina would run away the moment the king found out and ended the marriage, no, she had sacrificed too much and a little baby wasn't going to get in the way.

"Rumpelstiltskin, the Dark One, I summon you." Nothing. Cora stood in her room alone, yet there was something there, a feeling but she couldn't see anyone. "Now Rumpel dear, you might not want to see me but you have to come when you are called." Cora heard a noise behind her. She turned around and found herself face to face with the Dark One who was grinning menacingly at her.

"Well hello deary. It's been a very long time and look how well you've done for yourself since we last spoke. How's life without the heart?" Cora smiled back, he was angry, good. Rumpelstiltskin, when emotional, was more likely to make mistakes and she needed him too this time. If she could convince him that he needed Regina's child then everything would be solved.

"It's been a long time, my love." She reached out to stroke his face but he swatted her away and grabbed her throat with his other hand.

"Give me one good reason I shouldn't snap your neck." Cora struggled to breath but if she force out just a few words he will let go. Rumpelstiltskin was and is a coward who only cares about his own life.

"I...I have information."

"What kind of information. Tick tock your time is running out." He squeezed a little harder and lifted her up just slightly above the ground. He was going to slowly kill her he wanted to see her struggle against his hand.

"Safety...for your safety." Rumpel let go of his grip immediately. Lucky for Cora she had predicted correctly, when it came to his safety nothing mattered not even revenge. Cora dropped to the ground coughing and rubbing her neck attempting to help herself restore air to her lungs. Rumpel looked down at her, his eyes twinkling with curiosity.

"What do you mean my safety. I am the Dark One, I am the most powerful thing in this land. How could I be in danger?" Cora slowly got to her feet and straightened her dress. She looked into the eyes of the monster she once loved. He hadn't aged a day and yet she was an old women, it was as if time stood still for him.

"Tell me Rumpel darling, what do you know of my daughter Regina?"

"She plays a pivotal role in our land and in my life. Something I would have had better control over but you tricked me out of getting her." Cora ignored the last comment and continued speaking.

"And since you can see the future what do you see of my daughter having a child?"

"Well bad news Cora, I'm afraid you don't become a grandmother for a very long time." Cora smirked and turned her back to him. He had no idea, with all his powers for some reason he had no clue of Regina's pregnancy. Her plan was coming along perfectly.

"Well that is bad news. I'll have to inform my daughter that she can't give birth just yet and that she'll have to wait." Rumpelstiltskin's eyes widen. Regina was pregnant and he had no idea. The ability to see the future had completely missed this or...the child was so powerful and important that magic was stopping from him seeing her.

"So Regina's pregnant. What does that have to do with me and my safety?" Cora laughed, Rumpel had done his best to hind the fact he was surprised and slightly afraid of this child that he knew nothing about, but she could here it in his voice. He was very worried.

"Please Rumpel. You were very interested in Regina before she was even created. You know she is going to do something big and if she had a child you would have known about it before any of us did and you would be keeping a close eye on it." Cora was right of course, Regina was never suppose to get pregnant. She was destined to have a son but she was not his birth mother and that was suppose to happen for several years. He remembered that the Seer had warned him of a child who would one day kill him and take his powers. Was this the child? It would make sense. Good magic could be hiding the child from his sight so it would be a surprise when the child finally came to take his life.

"Alright you have me figured out. But why are you telling me this Cora? Is there something you want?" Cora had been pouring herself and Rumpel a drink. She turned back to him holding a glass in each hand. She walked over and handed it to him then sat down on a couch. She patted the seat next to her inviting him to come join her. He sat down next to her but did not relax; he was too interested in seeing what Cora was going to say.

"Yes Rumpel dear there is something I want. You see this child holds a threat to us both. If Regina keeps this baby it's only a matter of time before the king finds out and when he does he will call of the wedding. Regina will never become queen and she will run off with that bastard child. I will lose my daughter and the power she would gain by becoming queen."

"Is there a point to this?" Cora gave him a side ways glance.

"Yes. My deal is when Regina gives birth to the child I'll give it to you and you change the memory of my daughter so she thinks her baby died in child birth. You get the child so you become safe and my daughter goes on to become queen. Rumpel sat quietly thinking.

"Do you care what happens to the child?"

"Of course not. Once it is in your possession you are free to do with it as you please." Rumpelstiltskin smiled brightly. He liked this deal. He stood up after downing the drink.

"Alright deary you got yourself a deal. But no switching it after you signed the contract, not like last time." Cora stood up bring her face close to his.

"Of course."

"Well then." He pulled back from her and snapped his fingers. A quill and parchment appeared out of thin air and into his hands. "Everything is here just signed at the bottom." Cora signed the bottom sealing the deal. She handed him back the quill and smiled. Everything had worked perfectly, she got exactly as she wanted. "I'll be back very soon." and with that he was gone; Cora was back to being alone in her room.

***  
Regina layed on her bed rubbing her belly and for the first time in almost a year she had a small smile on her face. She had a plan of her own. As soon as the baby was born she would disappear. It would be very difficult since child birth was a painful experience and left a women weak, but that's what made this plan so perfect. No one would suspect her being of being able to get up and walk around let alone taking her baby, plus supplies, then riding horse back out of the kingdom. The thought alone caused Regina to cringe. It was going to be extremely painful but it would be wirth it. She would have her child, a little peice of her stable boy, and that's all she needed.  
There was a knock on the door and then the door unlocked. In walked in Matilda, Regina's personal servant, with a tray of warm broth and a small piece of bread.  
"It's supper time dear." Her voice was high pitched and sweet. Matilda was always very sweet to everyone and was hand picked by Regina herself when she was young. She had watched Regina grow up all these years and they had a special bond because of it. Regina assumed her mother had sent Matilda in particularly because of that bond. She hadn't eaten anything in days and had would throw the plates full of food back at her mother for even attempting to get her to eat.  
"I'm not hungry." Regina's smile had faded, she didn't want to eat for some reason she still wasn't hungry. Matilda gave her a stern look.

"Now I realize that for some unknown reason you are feeling terrible and don't want to eat but it's not just about you any more. Did you ever think that the little one inside that tummy of yours is hungry." She set the tray down next to Regina's bed.

"How did you know I was pregnant? Mother has made sure that no one else knows of this." Matilda looked at Regina smiling as if she was surprised that Regina didn't know her that well.

"Regina I watched you grow up. I knew you were pregnant before your own mother knew." Matilda gentle grabbed Regina's hand and squezed it. "Look I know whatever happened must of been hard. I have never seen you so broken before in my life, you were always such a happy person. However, like I said, it is no longer about you it's about this child from now on. So you need to eat and that's all I'm going to say about that." She let go of Regina's hand and walked out of the room. Regina looked at the food, she was right she needed to do what was best for the baby and what was best for the baby is to eat.  
Out side of the door Matilda waited to hear the sounds of Regina eating. When she did she gave wicked smile and snapped her fingers. In a puff of smoke Rumple had taken her place, it had been him all along. It wouldn't be long now, he wanted that baby as soon as possible just to make sure Cora didn't go back on their deal again or had something else up her sleeve. He snapped his fingers again and was gone.

***  
Night had fallen over the kingdom and Regina was sleeping soundly in her bed. She had fallen asleep rather early, right after she had finished eating actually. Regina seemed peaceful as she lied there dreaming of her future life with her child in her arms when she awoken suddenly in agonizing pain. She sat up straight and grabbed her stomach, her teeth clenched. Then the pain stopped and she relaxed, but before she could even figure out what had caused it the pain returned this time worse then before. She let out a scream of agony that could have woken the entire castle. Her breathing grew heavier and it didn't take long for the pain to become permanent. She screamed again and her whole body clenched up, it was trying to tell her it was time to push. Her mother came running into the room.

"Regina silence yourself before you wake everyone up!"

"That's a little difficult mother! Ahhhh!" Her mother rushed over to her and placed the candle that she had been holding on the small table next to Regina's bed. She lifted up her sleeves and summoned a bucket of warm water, towels,a clean blanket for the baby, and a small knife.  
"Ok Regina darling," Cora got on the end of the bed, "You need to spread your legs for me." Regina did what she was told as sweat started forming on her forehead. Cora took off Regina's undergarments, she could barely see anything. She waved her arm and the curtains flew open revealing a bright full moon to help light up the room. Regina screamed again, she had never experienced such pain in her life. "Ok Regina...Regina! Listen to me grab your knees with both hands, sit up, and then when you feel the urge to push push as hard as you can, do you understand?" Regina nodded. A second later Regina started pushing screaming louder then before. "Regina you need to be quiet, it's just child birth." Cora looked between her daughter's legs, she saw something starting to stick out, it had to be the head of the baby. Regina stopped pushing and fell back onto her pillows.

"This isn't right," she whimpered, "I have another month at least; it's too early." Tears were streaming down her face from fear and pain. She sat back up quickly when she felt another contraction. She pushed again and Cora saw a little head sticking out.

"Ok, give me two more big pushes and the baby is out." Two pushes later and out came a screaming baby. Cora raised out her hand and the knife flew towards her hand, she had no time to stop and pick it up. With one cut of the knife the umbilical cord was cute. She took the screaming child off the bed, as Regina laid her head back down and allowed her body to relax. Cora cleaned off the child to help it breath. She swaddled the baby in the clean blanket and held her grandchild. She felt nothing just like she felt nothing for Regina either.

"Let me hold my baby." Regina begged, her voice was weak. Cora thought about it for a moment, but decided that she would allow her daughter to at least her hold her child before it was gone forever.

"It's a girl." Cora said as she handed her off. Regina was in tears again but this time from pure joy. The baby stopped crying once she was in her mother's arms. She had a head full of black hair; she looked just like Regina, except her nose, she had Daniel's nose.

"My little stable boy's princess." She planted a kiss on her baby girl's forehead. Regina's eyes suddenly went cross eyed then limp. Cora grabbed the baby before it fell.

"Regina?"

"She's fine." Cora turned around and there stood Rumpelstiltskin smiling as usual. "It's part of my potion, now when she wakes up she'll have no idea what happened to the baby and you can tell her there were...complications."

"And what about the body? She'll want to see it for herself or she'll think I gave it away."

"Not to worry!" He held out both of his hands and out of thin area a small figure wrapped in a similar blanket, but had it's face covered. "It's not as hard as you might think to find a body of a dead baby." Cora smiled at him. "Now hand over the baby and no tricks." Cora walked over to him caring her sleeping grandchild. They quickly made the exchange. "It was nice doing business with you."Cora gave him one last smile before him and her grandchild disappeared.

***  
Rumpelstiltskin reappeared in the middle of the woods holding his prize. He had decided he was just going to leave it in the woods and let the wolves have it, this way there was no body left for anyone to find. He looked down at the baby, just like Cora he felt nothing towards the child. It was nothing personal, but if this was the child that was destined to kill him then he had to destroy it. Regina's baby opened it's eyes, she had big brown orbs for eyes just like her mother. Rumpel looked into those eyes.  
"Aghh." He felt his body tense up and fell to his knees but never lost eye contact with the baby. He was having a vision one so powerful he was losing control over his body. He saw the future of this child and saw how powerful she was. He couldn't kill this baby, one day she will become powerful and useful to him. But he still had to get rid of the baby it was part of his deal and not even Rumpelstiltskin broke his own deals. He was going to need some help and he knew someone who would be willing to make a deal with him.  
A young man and his wife sat in there little shack in the woods. They were poor; so poor that his pregnant wife was dying and did not have the money for a doctor. He had called Rumpelstiltskin but even he told him there was nothing he could give him he wanted. He held his wife close as she shivered from a fever, a tear escaped his right eye time was running out. There was a knock at the door. The man set pulled away from his wife to answer the door. In the doorway stood Rumpelstiltskin at door smiling and holding a sleeping infant.

"Hello Jefferson, are you still up for making that deal." Jefferson looked back at his wife who was struggeling to even sit up before exiting their home.  
"I thought you said I had nothing to offer you?"

"Yet, nothing to offer me yet."

"Umm..."

"I am here to save your wife and child by giving you this." Out of thin air he pulled out a top hat. It was rattered, old, and looked like nothing special.  
"A hat?"

"Not just any hate, this hat can take you to other worlds. Other worlds that can save lives of your love ones."

"Why are you giving this too me."

"Well I need someone who is desperate enough to work this hat and do my bidding. And you are just the desperate man I'm looking for." He handed him the hat. "If you put it on the grown, spin it, and want another world more then your very life, which you do, it will take you to a time and or place that you want. However how the number of people who go in are the same number that must come out."

"And what is it that I must do in order to get this?"

"I need you to put this," He held up the baby, "Somewhere safe until I need it." Jefferson thought for a moment.

"Ok, show me what to do."

"Just spin it, you have it in you I assure you." Jefferson put the hate on the ground and spinned it. It kept spinning and spinning; while spinning it also got bigger. "Now," boomed Rumpel, "Watch me. I am going to concentrate on a time and place. Then I will drop the infant in, the portal will close, and it will return to just a hat." Rumpelstiltskin closed his eyes and concentrated. He smiled, opened his eyes, and dropped the child, wrapped in a blanket, inside the expanded hat. Once the baby had been dropped the hat returned to its original state. Rumpel picked it up, brushed it off, and handed it to Jefferson.

"Why did it work for me?" He asked as he received the hat.

"Because you have the right amount of magic and desperation the hat needs to work, not to mention it did belong to her great-grandfather at one time."  
"My great-grandfather, but he-"

"Lost his mind, yes. So I remind you to be careful when using this. You might end up losing more then you think." Rumpel left Jefferson holding the hat and thinking of what to do next.


End file.
